Naming Teddy
by fiftyshadesfreak
Summary: Ever wonder how Ana and Christian decided to name their first child Theodore Raymond Grey? Well, this is my version! Review please!


**A/N: Just another little short fic! Hope you like! **

* * *

"How about Oliver?" I suggest, glancing up from the page to Christian. His fingers still over the keyboard of his Mac and he looks up, thinking.

"Oliver Raymond Grey," he murmurs, testing the whole name out loud. He only takes a second before frowning and shaking his head no.

I purse my lips. "Yeah, I'm not crazy about that one either." I flip to the next page and Christian returns to typing whatever it is he's working on. My eyes scan down the endless names, page after page, the spine of the book resting on my rounded belly (who knew a pregnant belly would make such a convenient little desk in bed?).

Finally, I come to another one. "Spencer?" This time, Christian doesn't even pause to think about it before responding.

"Ugh, no. One of the biggest assholes I knew back in college was named Spencer. I think about him every time I hear that name."

I sigh, finally snapping the book of baby names shut and tossing it to the other end of the bed. The action makes Christian turn his attention away from the screen to me with raised eyebrows. "I don't think the book is helping," I huff, reaching around and adjusting the pillow to get more comfortable. "We've gone through all the possible names that either of us would consider. Besides, I want his name to have a meaning, something significant somehow."

We've been at this for almost a month, off and on. I'm a little over seven months pregnant now, my growing belly proof of just how close the arrival of our little blip is getting. And with the due date getting closer, the pressure to pick a name for our bouncing baby is getting heavier. Unless we plan on naming him Blip for good…

I give an affectionate rub to my tummy, remembering the day that Dr. Greene told us that Blip was, in fact, a boy. Something inside me shifted that day, everything becoming more real all of a sudden. I smile, already imagining a mini-version of my copper-haired husband, another Grey boy for me to love. I couldn't be happier.

Out first conversation about names came up only a few weeks later, and we agreed that his middle name would be Raymond, my way of honoring the man who raised me as his own. Christian was all for it. However, picking our son's first name hasn't been as easy. We both want something that has meaning, not just any other name. We've looked through every letter of the alphabetized names online, bought two different books of names and their meanings, and suggested our own likes. But nothing. Neither of us have fallen in love with a single name.

I look at the ceiling and sigh again, a little frustrated. I thought that as a mother-to-be, I would at least have an idea about what to name my child…

"Baby," Christian mutters, seeming to read my thoughts as always. "We still have almost two months to find a name. There's no rush just yet." I roll my head to look over at him as he closes his laptop and scoots closer to me.

"I know, I know," I grumble. "I just thought his name would jump out, you know? That as soon as I saw or heard it, I would immediately know that that's what his name should be."

Christian rubs a hand down my arm. "And it still will. We just haven't found the right one yet, is all."

"I don't how," I complain. "We've been through the entire alphabet forwards and backwards like five times."

He rolls onto his side on the bed, propped up on his elbow and facing me. "Well, which ones are still on our 'maybe' list?"

I raise my eyes to the ceiling, reciting the dwindling list by memory. "Noah. Benjamin. Ian. Logan. And Aiden."

He runs his hand through his hair before giving me an apologetic smile and a shrug. I sigh yet again and shake my head.

"Let's just give it a rest for now. You're right – we have time to figure it out." I incline my head towards where he set his laptop. "What were you doing?" He was just working in his home office all morning so it seems unlikely that it was for GEH.

Sure enough, he says, "Responding to an email from my dad."

"Mmmm?" I raise my eyebrows slightly, seeing something in his face.

He smiles slightly. "My grandparents' fiftieth wedding anniversary is in a few weeks, and he wants me to help pull together a big surprise, maybe plan a vacation for them after the party."

"Really? That's awesome. The golden anniversary, that's big."

Christian nods. "Yeah, mom and Mia have already been planning the party for the last month probably. But they definitely deserve it. I'll call mom later and find out where they most likely will want to go and set it up next week."

I smile, thinking of Grandma and Grandpa Trevelyan, as I've taken to calling them. Ever since Christian and I got married, they've fully adopted me as just another grandchild. All of my own grandparents had already passed away by the time I was ten, so the experience has been particularly special for me. I couldn't have asked for a better family to marry into. When we told the rest of the family that I was pregnant, Grandma Trevelyan's excitement was enough to rival even Mia's…

"What are you grinning about?" Christian asks, amusement in his voice as he touches my upturned lips.

"Just about how much I love your family."

His eyes soften and he smiles. "_Our _family," he corrects. "And trust me, they adore you just as much."

I inch over until I'm snuggled into Christian's side, my belly resting against him while my head lulls onto his shoulder. "Were you close to your grandparents when you were young?" I wonder idly.

He's silent for a moment before releasing a tiny sigh. I peek back up at his face just as he shrugs a little under me. "Not as close as I should have been – like I now wish I'd been." I say nothing, waiting for him to continue. After a few seconds, he does. "The whole family embraced me as soon as Grace and Carrick adopted me." He smiles a little ruefully. "Except maybe Elliot at first. But until Mia came along, I didn't really respond to anyone else. After a couple years though, things got a little better. I would go spend the night at my grandparents' house just like any other kid would. Grandmother would let us eat chocolate before dinner and stay up too late just like any other grandmother does. But with my grandfather…" he trails off, tilting his head back to look at the ceiling. His eyes become distant, his mouth curving into a smile, and for a moment, he's in his own world before going on.

"The year I turned eight, Grandfather took me with him on a weekend trip to a cabin he used to have, very secluded right by the lake. It was the first time we'd ever spent time alone, without Mia or Elliot. He took me out on the lake and taught me to fish for the first time." My eyebrows lift with a little surprise and Christian glances down at my facial expression with understanding. "Yeah, I know. For such a refined-looking old man, he really is more of an outdoorsman than anyone suspects." He looks back up, returning to his reverie.

"I was still really distant and to myself. At home with my parents, I tried to be as normal as I could like Elliot in order to make them happy. But with him…" Christian shakes his head a little. "Grandfather was the first person I was ever around that made me feel like I could just _be. _He never pushed to make conversation, never tried too hard to get me involved. He just went about his way, and gave me the choice to follow. And when I did, he didn't make a big deal about it – just taught me what I wanted to know."

I look up at Christian's face, my heart warming and softening all at once when I see the smile of fondness and hear the hint of deep respect in his voice. "Of all of the trips and things Grace and Carrick did with all three of us, I have to say that simple trip with Theo is still probably better than any of them." After several long seconds of silence, he seems to snap back to the present, his gray eyes meeting mine. "So yeah," he sighs. "Looking back, I do wish I had gotten closer to my grandparents when I was young. Or at least shown Theo how much I appreciated him."

Suddenly, everything freezes, a sharply brilliant idea hitting me hard. I feel my eyes go wide and brighten as I stare at Christian with a sudden awareness. His eyebrows knit together. "What?" he asks, reacting to the expression on my face.

"That's it," I breathe, something clicking into place.

"What's it? What are you talking about?"

I pull away just slightly from Christian so I can look at him better. "Theo is short for Theodore, right?"

He nods once, still confused. A huge grin splits my face, excitement bubbling to the surface. "That's it, Christian. Theodore Raymond Grey. _That's it._" This is the feeling I've been searching for – the feeling of just _knowing. _Knowing I've found the perfect name. Christian blinks, his head tilting to the side as he considers my epiphany for himself.

"We said we wanted it to have meaning," I go on. "And I can't think of a name with more meaning than that. Or of a better way to _now_ show Theo how much you appreciate him."

"Theodore Raymond Grey," Christian repeats, his eyes lighting up to match mine, and I know he feels the same reaction.

I look down, running my hand over my belly. "Theodore," I whisper. "Theo…Teddy…" As if reacting to his own name, my son picks that second to move, kicking the side of my stomach. My eyes flash back to Christian whose expression is reflecting my own.

"Teddy," he says, his voice holding a trace of wonder. A spectacular grin sweeps across his face. "You're right. That's it. Theodore Grey."

I can't help it – I laugh out loud with delight, a warm happiness seeping through me. "We just named our son." My voice is squeaky with excitement.

Christian puts a hand on my stomach and brings his mouth close. "How does that sound, Junior?" he asks sweetly. "Little Teddy Grey?" Again, as if responding, our baby moves at the sound of his daddy's voice, placing a well-aimed nudge toward Christian. I know he feels it too, because he looks back to me, his smile wide and his eyes bright. "I think he likes it." I giggle and nod in agreement. We fall silent for a couple minutes, just soaking in the moment and enjoying it.

Just when I think the moment can't get any better, Christian kisses the side of my tummy and whispers, "Our little Teddy Bear…"


End file.
